


Gleaming Animals

by missparker



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Drugged Sex, Dubious Consent, F/M, Funky Spunk, Goa'uld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-15
Updated: 2011-04-15
Packaged: 2017-10-18 02:38:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/184080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missparker/pseuds/missparker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam wasn’t sure how she kept managing to get herself into these situations, but here she was all the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gleaming Animals

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eveninghue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eveninghue/gifts).



> I wrote this for [eveninghue](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/eveninghue) because one time she came to see me at work and then we got locked out and then she bought me dinner. True story. Also, thanks to [gingasaur](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/gingasaur) for beta duties and the title.

_“Nothing we do will ever be understood; we will be feared and kept well away from. It will be the stuff of legend, endless discussion and limitless inspiration for the brave of heart. It’s you and me in this room, on this floor. Beyond life, beyond morality. We are gleaming animals painted in moonlit sweat glow. Our eyes turn to jewels and everything we do is an example of spontaneous perfection.”_  
— Henry Rollins

oooo

Sam wasn’t sure how she kept managing to get herself into these situations, but here she was all the same. Tied up in the back of an Al’kesh, her team back on Earth, and the most irritating Goa’uld of all time smirking at her like a smug bastard. Also, she really, really had to pee.

“I have to pee,” she said.

“We’ll be there soon,” he said, pulling an apple from inside his long coat. An _apple_. What a stupid prick.

“Will you be cleaning up my urine personally, then?” she asked.

He bit into the apple and regarded her thoughtfully while chewing.

“You know where the facilities are,” he said. She blinked at him in disbelief and then finally held up her bound wrists, waving them slightly in case he was as blind as he was stupid. He chuckled and took another bite. “You’re the resident genius on your planet,” he said around the food in his mouth. She scrunched up her nose in disgust. “If you can’t figure out how to get your pants down with your hands tied, you deserve to sit for awhile in your own filth.”

She lowered her arms and sighed. It took a moment to find enough balance to get to her feet and then she glowered at him once more for good measure before hitting the panel to the bathroom with her elbow. The door opened.

“Just for the record, I hate you, I hate everything you choose to be, and I hope my friends kill you,” Sam said before walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. She could still hear him laughing. Bastard.

By the time she made it out of the bathroom, she could feel the Al’kesh dropping out of hyper speed. He was at the helm but when he heard the door open, he raised his arm keeping the zat pointed at her even while the controls held his attention.

“Have a seat, Samantha,” he said.

“That’s Colonel Carter to you,” she snapped. She didn’t sit.

“That’s Lord Ba’al to you,” he said easily and turned to look at her.

“You wish.”

“The years have changed you,” Ba’al said, eyeing her. “You’ve developed O’Neill’s smart mouth.”

“Jack O’Neill is going to dismember you himself when he realizes that you’ve taken me,” Sam said.

“Yes,” Ba’al said. “I’ve noticed that about Tau’ri men. They really don’t like it when you threaten their women.”

“That has nothing to do with it,” she muttered.

He barked out a laugh. “Oh please!” Ba’al said. “You and Jack O’Neill are the worst kept secret in the galaxy. Would it really kill you to say out loud that the two of you fuck as much as humanly possible every chance you get? I promise, life would go on.”

“Look,” she seethed through clenched teeth. “I’m not going to help you so why don’t we just sit quietly until this is all over.”

“You will help me,” Ba’al said seriously. “You’re the only one who can and your stupid morals are finally going to work in my favor.”

“What does that mean?”

“Tell me, Samantha, when is the last time you saw your 19th team?” Ba’al asked, easing the Al’Kesh into orbit around a planet.

“SG-19?” she asked, cursing internally. “Months.”

“Well, I know where they are,” Ba’al said. “I want to conquer a planet. You want to save your people. I don’t see why we can’t do both at once.”

“I’m not helping you conquer a planet, you jackass,” she said.

“Then your friends will probably die,” Ba’al said. “And I’ll figure out how to retake the planet anyway at a later date and their deaths will be on your pretty little head.”

She scowled at him. This was what she got for ignoring Cam’s invitation for team night and going home to get some sleep. This was her reward for trying to be responsible.

“Ugh, fine, tell me about this planet,” she said, looking past him at the piece of planet visible through the window.

“Not this planet,” he said like she was mildly retarded. “You think I’m just going to show up in orbit above a planet I want to conquer?”

She rolled her eyes.

“There’s a Stargate on this planet,” he said. “We’ll gate in.”

“I just...” She sighed and wished she could rub at her forehead to ease some of the mounting tension. “Why do you need _me_?”

“I needed someone with naquadah in their system but not blended,” he said, crossing his arms.

“What? That’s it?” she said. “You mean you could have taken Vala and I could be asleep right now?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, you know what I meant,” she said.

“You’re much more... pleasant company,” he said, his eyes traveling up and down her body.

“Oh, barf,” she muttered.

“And anyway, I’m offering you the lives of your four friends. Can’t you just take that at face value? Help me on this little endeavor and you’ll never have to see me again.”

“In a perfect world,” she said.

“See?” he smiled. “We’re already friends.”

“Friends don’t keep friends tied up,” she said, holding out her arms.

“If I unbind you, you’ll only try to hit me and retake the ship,” he said mildly.

That was certainly true.

“There’s gonna be a point where I get free,” Sam said. “And escape. We both know it.”

“Just get in the rings,” he said, cloaking the ship and then prodding her with the tip of his zat until she was in position. He stood close to her, smiling down. “You smell better than Qetesh, too.”

“It’s _Vala_ , you stupid son of a-”

The rings activated and she felt the little tug low in her belly that accompanied transportation of this sort.

“Language, Samantha,” Ba’al said as they reappeared on the planet. He leaned in sniffed her hair lightly.

“I loathe you,” she said.

“I know,” he said. “And I find that to be extremely arousing. What do you think that says about me? Is it bad?”

Sam didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the first time her obvious distaste had caused someone to want her - an unwelcome image of McKay popped into her mind and she quickly pushed it away. The only thing Ba’al had working for him was that he was much more attractive than Rodney McKay. _Much_. Somehow that only made her hate him more.

The Stargate loomed in front of them and she pushed him away with her shoulder and started toward the DHD.

“There are some conditions you should be aware of,” Ba’al said and she stopped and turned around to face him.

“What do you say you just tell me everything,” she said. “I hate surprises.”

She thought of Jack and all the times he’d said the same thing but she forced him out of her mind as well. It wouldn’t help to worry about him worrying about her.

“Did you ever visit the Goa’uld palace by the sea in your various travels?” Ba’al asked, walking up to her and leaning casually against the DHD like they were having a cup of tea or something. She huffed.

“With the light?” she asked. He grinned.

“With the light,” he confirmed.

“P4X-347,” she said. “Oh... I know it well.” Too well - three weeks of her life had been wasted there while they’d come down of a particularly unpleasant high. Daniel had been nearly unendurable.

“This planet is similar,” Ba’al said.

“What does that mean?” she demanded. He shrugged, smirking. “Ba’al, are you taking this planet for any reason other than your sex drive?”

“Having control of the pleasure planet is a necessary part of any empire,” he said, waving the notion away. “There’s more to us than armies and ships and piles of treasure.”

“Not much more,” she snapped. He glared.

“When we go through that gate,” he said, pointing at the Stargate. “You will feel the effects immediately. I chose you, Tau’ri, because the naquadah in your system will help you resist the effects for longer.”

“When you say effects...” she said, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

“You’ve felt them before, yes? At the palace?”

Oh, she remembered. Daniel and Jack had gotten grouchy, sick, tired, short-tempered. She, however, had gotten horny. Really, really... she groaned.

“You can’t be serious. I’m not getting addicted to your crazy rape light again, no way.” She turned away and started march back toward where the rings had left them.

“I will kill the members of your team personally if you do not accompany me,” Ba’al said. “Well, I will drag you through the gate but if you come willingly, your friends will live.”

“And when we get there?” she said. “What?”

“You pretend to be my queen,” he grinned.

“Nope. No way.”

“The naquadah in your blood will convince them enough as long as you keep your mouth shut,” Ba’al said. “Once they let us in to the main compound - that’s the difficult part, you see - I will lead you to your friends and help you make for the Stargate.”

“How?” she demanded.

“It’s amazing the distraction a coup will cause,” he said dryly.

She frowned for a moment. “Untie me. I’ll need a weapon.”

“When we arrive,” he agreed. “And you can’t wear that anyway.”

She looked down at her jeans and long sleeved shirt. He’d beamed her up right out of her living room. She was happy that she’d been in something other than pajamas. Happy she’d been wearing shoes. Happiness was relative at any rate.

Ba’al dialed the gate and she watched carefully the address though she had a feeling that this address was something that Vala already knew by heart.

Ba’al slipped his arm through hers.

“You know, there have to be hundreds of former hosts. Why not them and leave SG-19 to die?” she asked.

“I cannot show up to the pleasure planet with some overweight, depressed shell of a human hag on my arm,” he said. “I need my queen to be strong and beautiful, and you are both.”

She blinked at him and his eyes left hers to glance down at her lips.

“So beautiful,” he murmured.

“I’m going to shoot you eventually,” she said, leaning her head away from him.

“We’ll see,” he smiled and then dragged her through the gate with him.

oooo

Her outfit, and that was a kind word, left little to the imagination. She saw less of her own breasts in the shower. The leather bodice was so tight that everything was pushed up and out and she swore if she tilted her head down, she could rest her chin in her cleavage. The skirt was short but she decided a bunch of drugged out humans and Goa’ulds on vacation accidentally seeing her ass was not the worst thing that had ever happened to her. It was nice to have her hands free, anyway, and no one blinked at the zat gun she now had strapped to her very bare thigh.

“You need me now,” Ba’al reminded her as she eyed the weapon warily. He was right. She could kill him, but then she’d probably never get off the planet and her failure definitely meant the death of SG-19. They were walking through the market place toward the main complex at the center of the city. “Hold your head high,” he ordered softly and she complied, lifting her chin. “You are a queen and not just any, but that of Ba’al.”

“I get it,” she said.

“Oh,” he drawled. “You’re feeling it now, aren’t you, my pet?”

In fact, she was. She just didn’t have the energy to keep up their bickering because she was using it all to squash down that feeling growing steadily inside. She felt the warmth of arousal starting to curl deep in her gut and she tried desperately to think of anything else. There was also an inexplicable feeling of euphoria creeping in on her. This mission would be easy and hey, she’d be a damn good queen. She didn’t even want to fight with Ba’al anymore - he’d been, all things considering, pretty nice to her.

Wait.

“Shit,” she said.

He grinned. It made him even more handsome.

“Please don’t take advantage of me,” she requested as they approached the gate to the main compound.

“I won’t do anything you don’t want to do,” Ba’al promised.

As far as promises went, it was pretty lame.

oooo

“Okay,” Sam reasoned, pacing the narrow length of their room. “Okay. Just eight hours, right? That’s all we have to wait.”

“Not so very long,” Ba’al said, reclining across the bed. They’d been let into the compound but the system lord currently in power wouldn’t rise from his sarcophagus for hours, yet. So they had to wait for morning.

“And I saw my team, so that’s good, right?” Sam said, putting her hands on her hips. SG-19 had been working for several months as human slaves in the compound apparently, though they were the most willing slaves she’d ever seen. She’d almost walked right past Major Miller because she hadn’t recognized him with Captain Barnes’ tongue down his throat. And then, when Stacy Barnes had, uh, detached herself and turned to look at Sam, she’d _waved_ and said, “Colonel Carter!” and so Ba’al punching her in the face had probably been a necessary evil.

“Slaves do not speak to my queen,” Ba’al had said, his eyes flashing. Major Miller had seemed confused for a minute but then nodded at Sam and winked like he was in on the ploy all along and Barnes had just picked herself up and murmured an apology. She’d taken that punch like a champ, too. Sam would put a note in her file.

“Your people are alive and well, as promised,” Ba’al said.

“So we just wait then,” Sam said. “We wait. No problem. I’ve waited before. I’m good at waiting. Really good. Exceptionally good if you think about it because eight years is a long time to...” She shut her mouth, realizing both that she was rambling and over sharing. “Never mind.”

Ba’al just grinned lecherously and beckoned at her with one finger.

“I... I don’t think I should,” she said, pressing herself against the far wall. “Though I’m not quite sure how it is that I’m not supposed to go mad.” The wall was cool against her shoulders and she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

“The humans are encouraged to... well, let’s just say, no one denies themselves,” Ba’al said. “The feeling ebbs and flows. When it ebbs, they serve the Goa’uld of the planet. And when it flows-”

“No!” she said, opening her eyes. “No flowing!”

“All right,” he said. “Madness it is.”

“What?” she exclaimed. “Those are my options? You knew this was going to happen, ugh, I hate you so bad!”

“I didn’t expect for us to be here long enough for you to be affected at this level,” Ba’al said sounding almost apologetic. “But as far as options go, I don’t think they’re so terrible.”

“Madness!” she said. “That’s not terrible?”

“You have to choose between madness and intense sexual pleasure. One is clearly the superior choice, Samantha,” Ba’al said, sitting up and shrugging out of his overcoat. His arms were bare, muscular and tan and she couldn’t seem to look away.

“I don’t even like you,” she said, her voice sounding weak even to her own ears.

“Nor I you,” Ba’al said. “Now come here.”

Good God, she was actually walking toward him. She made herself stop at the edge of the bed. “I love Jack,” she said pitifully.

“Well you must,” Ba’al said. “Gray hair and a pot belly. The man has really let himself go.” Ba’al smirked at her. “Meanwhile, I have this.” He lifted his shirt to show off his abs.

“Oh... oh boy,” she said. They were pretty nice. And Ba’al had a point, the desk job hadn’t really been very kind to Jack.

“Right?” Ba’al asked. “Not bad.”

“Very nice,” she said. “But I really don’t think we should.”

“How about this,” Ba’al said, easing the shirt over his head and tossing it aside. Sam swallowed. “We try to get some rest, hmm? And if you change your mind about going insane, I’ll be right here.”

“That seems fair,” Sam reasoned.

She climbed onto the bed.

oooo

She woke up to Ba’al unlacing the back of her top.

“You were whimpering in your sleep,” he explained, his voice soft. “I thought you might be uncomfortable.”

She was uncomfortable, very, but she didn’t know any women who preferred to have their breasts mashed beyond recognition. She rolled over a little to give him better access and when he pulled the final knot, the whole thing loosened around her and she exhaled.

“Thank you,” she sighed. “That’s so much better.”

He eased it away from her skin and she settled onto her back, her body buzzing with the new sensation of freedom. Ba’al smiled down at her and moved his hand across her belly. His hand was warm and she could actually see little sparks of light left in the wake of where he touched her.

“Wow,” she said. His hand slipped over her ribs and cupped her breast. “Wow,” she said again.

“Does that feel all right?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “It feels... I feel...”

“You can relax,” he said, lowering his head to her chest. She felt his tongue swipe across her nipple. “I won’t hurt you.”

She gasped, the sensation felt exaggerated and there were bursts of light in her vision. In fact, everything seemed to be glowing slightly - her skin, Ba’al’s skin, the torch in the corner was putting off far more light than seemed possible and she felt so warm and soft and so ready for whatever was about to happen. Had they been sleeping? It seemed impossible when there was so much else they could be doing.

“What happens if we kiss?” she asked, staring at his mouth. His lips twitched into a smile.

“Do you want me to show you?” he asked. She nodded, lifting her her head to meet him half way.

More light, more heat. His tongue sliding past her lips, touching hers. His other hand, her other breast.

She let her knees fall apart. As Jack always said, an open door was an invitation. She’d always thought that was a particularly stupid analogy for a Stargate but whatever. God, Ba’al smelled good, spicy and masculine and _fuck_ , he’d caught her lip between her teeth at the exact moment he’d slipped his fingers up her skirt and she realized that the pathetic noise she could hear was coming from her.

He only teased for a moment before slipping a finger under the elastic of her underwear and finding her damp heat. His finger slid easily into her and she lifted her hips in encouragement. He pulled his finger out and then, when he thrust back in, there were two and she was breathing hard. He leaned in and kissed her again, more forcefully this time and she could feel him hard against her hip.

“More,” she sighed, reaching for him. Her hand on the back of his neck and then he was kissing her again. She kissed him back hard, pressing as much of her body against him as she could, grinding down onto his hand in an effort to push over that edge, but he pulled back.

“Ah, ah, ah,” he said, bringing his hand up to his face and slipping his fingers into his mouth. She watched him lick them clean in a daze. “Can’t have you recovering quite so quickly.”

Her clothes were too rough and she needed them to come off. They were scratching at her delicate skin and Ba’al leered at her as she hoisted herself to her knees so she could release the clasp that held the skirt in place.

“You too,” she said.

“I thought you were tired,” Ba’al said, watching her move her hips side to side while she eased the underwear down. They were damp, uncomfortably sticky and she took care to keep them away from her skin. She dropped them over the edge of the mattress and sighed in massive relief. It was so much better to be free of the garments and she rubbed her hands across her stomach, her thighs, her breasts.

“I’m awake now,” she said. “Take off your clothes.”

“Bossy thing,” he murmured. Sam felt another spark - one more familiar - and she embraced it for what it was. Anger. She saw her own hand lash out and felt the contact of her palm across his face like an echo.

“Don’t make me tell you twice,” Sam said, swinging her leg over one of his so she could have a little leverage while she shoved him onto his back. So she could rub herself against the hard muscle of his thigh. Her fingers started searching for hidden zippers or buttons. Ba’al’s laughter had died away and his eyes were dark and hooded.

“This is why,” he said.

“Why what?” she asked finding, finally, the release that seemed to free him from the vest.

“Why I chose you and not some other to be my queen,” Ba’al said, batting her hands away and slipping out of the clothes. She heard her breath catch at all the hard, golden skin revealed to her.

“I’m not your queen,” she said, her hands sliding up his chest. “We’re just playing roles, remember?”

“Playing them well, “ he said, allowing her hands to move back down and undo his pants.

“Shut up,” she said. “You’re ruining it by talking.”

And so, he put his mouth to better use. She found herself on her back, startled into submission for the few seconds it took him to get rid of his pants and, oh, of course he didn't wear anything under them. No leather briefs, no big, droopy boxer shorts with ridiculous things printed on them like some men she knew. Man. Jack.

She sat up, feeling like maybe something was happening that shouldn’t. She looked around, trying to remember where, exactly, she was but then Ba’al was there, his mouth on her stomach, her hip, and then there, right there, wet heat against wet heat and she let her head hit the pillow because there was a light show happening right inside her eyes.

Jesus, he was really good at that.

But he stopped just short of anything that might offer relief and she growled in frustration at being left there, so close to the edge. Even the feeling of his body sliding up hers, even the feeling of all that skin on skin wasn’t enough to sooth her. She had to fight.

She kicked and scratched and bit and he laughed all through it, allowing her nails to draw blood and her teeth to find purchase in his shoulder. She bit down harder as he nudged his way between her legs and when he pushed into her, she had to release so she could cry out, a ragged, aching sob. It was _so good_ and yet it burned, like long tendrils of fire wrapping around her limbs. Something shouldn’t feel so good and burn like that, she knew.

“It’s the drugs,” she gasped as he pulled out and held for a moment, peering down between them.

“Yes,” he said, pushing back in. “It is.”

Her head fell back, exposing her long, arched neck and he pressed his face against it.

“Samantha,” he groaned as her legs locked around his hips. “My queen.”

She was his queen. She could feel it now, the naquadah humming in her veins, making her different from other humans. Making her _better_.

But they couldn’t hold on to this feeling forever. Ba’al started to get jerky, to get sloppy in his movements and she wormed a hand between their sweat slicked bodies. She’d had enough of being left on this dizzying precipice. She was going to fall if it was the last thing she did. She was going to take the edge at a run. He groaned when he realized what she was doing but he didn’t stop her. She worked her fingers hard and then felt it - the entire clench of her whole body. Was she screaming?

The lights were so bright, the heat so consuming. It was all too much and she slipped out of consciousness just as Ba’al’s weight came crashing down onto her.

oooo

“Samantha.” The voice was firm and accompanied with a shake to her shoulder. “We have to go.”

Sam opened her eyes. The room was much dimmer than she remembered, the torch burning normally in the corner. Ba’al stood at the side of the bed, fully dressed and looking impatient with a zat in his hand - not pointed directly at her but it was at least aimed in her general direction.

She sat up and realized, belatedly, that she was still naked and sticky and then she remembered a lot of what had happened and she snarled at him.

“You son of a bitch! What happened to not taking advantage of me?” she asked. She wanted to yell but she felt tired and her voice came out sounding hoarse. Of course Ba’al looked impeccable and she was left to wake up naked in a tangled heap of sweat and sex like a debauched conquest.

“We can argue semantics later,” he said, tossing her outfit back to her. “But if you want to save your people, it’s time to go.”

“Semantics?” she said in disbelief. “Is that what you’re calling it?”

“Sam,” he said, his voice sounding frighteningly human. “Your Tau’ri friends will not survive the coup. Please get dressed.”

Oh. Right. There was a reason she was enduring all of this humiliation and it was a good reason. They didn’t leave people behind. She had done some questionable things in her time as a member of SG-1 both by following orders and of her own volition and this would simply have to be added to the list. High on the list, sure, but she’d done worse for her people before, hadn’t she?

“One time I blew up a sun,” Sam said, pulling on her clothes as quickly as her tired limbs would allow.

Ba’al eyed her warily. “I’ve already told you that I find you to be hot, there’s no need to convince me further.”

“No, I just meant... I’ve done worse stuff than this,” she said, looking around for her other sandal.

“Is that how you’ll explain it to Jack O’Neill?” Ba’al asked, smirking. She shoved her other foot in the shoe and stood up straight, arms crossed and glaring.

“You’re an ass,” she said. “And what Jack O’Neill never, ever knows won’t hurt him.”

He nodded once and handed her the zat.

“We’ll see,” he said. She scrunched up her face and followed him out.

oooo

Once they got off the pleasure planet, SG-19 seemed to snap out of it. Ba’al had assured her that other than a rather intense hangover, everyone would be fine.

“Last time we almost died,” Sam had said.

“Would I lie to you, my queen?” Ba’al asked, taking her hand and bringing her knuckles to his lips. Weirdly, she didn’t think he would - not about this. What was the point of going through all the trouble when he could just kill them all now?

“How are we supposed to gate home, I don’t have a GDO,” she’d asked.

“Take the Al’kesh,” he’d said, dialing the DHD for them.

“Just take it?” Sam asked, surprised.

“Consider it a loaner,” he said and pressed his hand on the red circle. The gate sprang to life. SG-19 looked at her and she nodded and they all stumbled through like drunkards on an icy street. Miller and Barnes were still holding hands. Sam sighed knowing that SG-19 wasn’t going to survive past the briefing. Landry would split them up and be right to do so.

She faced Ba’al.

“Thanks, I guess,” she said.

“Thank you, Samantha,” he said. She didn’t know why, but when he pulled her in to kiss her, she let him. It was chaste, anyway, just a brush of lips and then he let go.

“But I’m keeping the Al’kesh,” she said, as she turned and walked toward the gate. Behind her, Ba’al laughed.

oooo

“Wait, so tell me again what happened?” Jack said, his voice tinny through the cell phone. She always got crappy reception on base and she was supposed to be asleep in the infirmary but Cam had managed to sneak his phone to her.

“Just call him, he’s making everyone crazy,” Cam had said.

“I helped Ba’al overthrow a planet in order to rescue SG-19,” she said. She was tired and Jack’s familiar voice was comforting. He’d forgive her for falling asleep, right? He probably would.

“By yourself?” he asked.

“I didn’t volunteer,” she said. “He could have killed me.”

“I know the feeling,” Jack said. She sucked in some air and decided to just push past the blunder.

“I got to pretend to be a queen,” she said. “I wore leather.”

“I like that,” he said. There was a small pause while she yawned. “You should rest.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “You still coming out this weekend?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he said.

“Okay.”

“Carter... he didn’t hurt you, right?” Jack asked.

She paused for a moment and considered simply telling him the truth. Their relationship would certainly weather such a storm, but she knew it’d be harder on Jack than it would on her and she didn’t want to add to his already considerable burden.

“He didn’t let anything happen that I didn’t want to happen,” she said.

As far as explanations went, it was pretty cryptic. There was another pause and she could hear him breathing, hear him turning her words over in his head.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll call in the morning.”

“Night,” she said and ended the call. She rolled over, tucking the phone under her pillow so the nurse wouldn’t see it. She closed her eyes and listened to her heartbeat - steady through the monitor.

She was just thinking about falling asleep when she heard someone settle into the chair by her bed. She opened her eyes to see Vala, her chin in her hands, grinning.

“Hi,” Sam said.

“Hi,” Vala replied. “So are you going to tell me what really happened?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Sam asked innocently.

“I could have told General Landry exactly what planet it was that you went to, but I didn’t!” Vala said. “You owe me.”

Vala grinned at Sam’s vaguely guilty expression. “Now, Samantha, why don’t you just tell me everything, hmm?”

Sam grinned.


End file.
